Voters stopping to drop off their mail-in ballots outside the Denver Election Commission office get a hand. <!–IPTC: BALLOTCOUNT ABOVE: Election volunteer Katie Brennan helps to collect ballots from drivers and even pedestrians who are stopping by to drop off their mail-in ballots outside of the Denver Election Commission office in Downtown Denver. Helen H. RichardsonThe Denver Post–>

The Postal Service on Thursday urged voters to send in their mail-in ballots as early as possible, setting an informal deadline of Oct. 31 for voters to mail in their ballots locally.

In a news release, the Postal Service said voters sending in their ballots from out of state should do so even earlier, with Monday as the informal deadline.

Mail-in ballots need to be returned to county clerks’ offices by Election Day. For mail sent within Colorado, it usually takes one to two days for items to reach their destination. But the Postal Service cautioned that things like bad weather could slow the mail and urged voters to play it safe by giving their ballots several days to reach the clerks’ offices.